A police officer has received a final written warning after an investigation found he had a relationship with a woman he met while on duty, who had reported domestic abuse.

The PSNI misconduct panel found that the police officer’s behaviour amounted to gross misconduct, breaching the Code of Ethics.

It comes after an inspection found that the number of investigations into police officers alleged to have abused their position for sexual purposes was at a record level.

PSNI Supt Julie Mullan said that the sanction of a final written warning “reflects the seriousness with which the Police Service of Northern Ireland views misconduct involving violence against women and girls”.

Nikki Davis, Director of Investigations with the Police Ombudsman’s Office said that the victim should have been able to trust that the police officer investigating her allegations would “treat her with respect and not attempt to exploit the situation for his own gain”.

In 2022, the PSNI found out that the officer had “become involved” with a woman in 2013 who had reported allegations of repeated assaults against her former partner.

In a statement, the Ombudsman said the victim’s first interaction with the police officer was at a police station when she made her report of domestic abuse.

The police officer then attended the victim’s home by arrangement, where she confirmed that she did not wish to pursue criminal proceedings against her former partner and the case was closed.

It was at the end of this visit that the officer asked the woman if she “would go out with him” and gave her his personal mobile number.

The Ombudsman said that a “consensual, sexual relationship began which lasted for approximately one month and took place while the officer was off duty”.

“When the relationship ended, there was no further contact between the officer and the woman.”

When interviewed by Police Ombudsman investigators, the police officer admitted the relationship, believing that as no further police action was being taken about the domestic abuse allegation, he could contact the victim in a personal capacity.

He disputed that he had asked the woman out on a date on the day that the case was closed, but accepted that the relationship was inappropriate.

Originally considered by the PSNI’s Anti-Corruption Unit, the issue was subsequently referred to the Police Ombudsman for investigation.

A file was submitted to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) in January 2023 which determined that it did not meet the ‘Test for Prosecution’ on evidential grounds.

The PSNI misconduct panel found that the officer breached the Code of Ethics in that he failed to “treat the victim with sensitivity” and that he behaved in a way that is likely to “bring discredit upon the Police Service”.

A misconduct hearing was held on 23 June 2025 and the police officer was found to have committed gross misconduct and received a final written warning.

Nikki Davis, Director of Investigations with the Police Ombudsman’s Office said that “as soon as this police officer moved his interaction with the victim from the professional to the personal, seeking to initiate a relationship, his conduct became inappropriate”.

“It is critical that any victim has the confidence and trust in police to come forward and make that disclosure. Regardless of whether the victim in this case chose to pursue a criminal case, she was vulnerable.”

In a statement the PSNI said it “expects the highest standards of professionalism and integrity from all of our police officers in accordance with the standards contained in the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Code of Ethics”.

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